Jay Emmanuel-Thomas in action for QPR in 2016.Jay Emmanuel-Thomas in action for QPR in 2016.
Jay Emmanuel-Thomas in action for QPR in 2016. | Getty Images
Jay Emmanuel-Thomas is a product of the Arsenal youth academy and has pleaded guilty to charges at Chelmsford Crown Court.
Former Arsenal and QPR footballer Jay Emmanuel-Thomas has pleaded guilty to being involved in a plot to smuggle £600,000 worth of cannabis from Thailand into the UK last year.
The 34-year-old saw his contract with Greenock Morton cancelled last year when the charges first came to light and changed his plea to guilty during a hearing on May 7. There had been reporting restrictions on that hearing which have now been lifted, as per Sky News.
Emmanuel-Thomas admitted to ‘fraudulent evasion of the prohibition on the importation of cannabis’ between 1 July 2024 and 2 September 2024 at Chelmsford Crown Court. The player had denied the charges when asked to enter a plea last October.
Emmanuel-Thomas was arrested by National Crime Agency (NCA) officers in September 2024 after an estimated £600,000 of cannabis was seized when being smuggled through London Stansted Airport on September 6. The NCA believes the footballer was the intermediary between suppliers in Thailand and drug sellers in the UK.
David Philips, NCA senior investigating officer, said: "Organised crime groups make significant profits by trafficking and selling perceived high-quality cannabis legally grown in the US, Canada and Thailand illegally in the UK. Organised criminals like Emmanuel-Thomas can be very persuasive and offer payment to couriers. But the risk of getting caught is very high and it simply isn't worth it."
Who is Jay Emmanuel-Thomas?
Jay Emmanuel-Thomas is a professional footballer who has played for Arsenal and QPR. The striker is a product of the Gunners youth academy and most recently played for Scottish Championship outfit Greenock Morton.
The 34-year-old began his journey with Arsenal at the age of eight years old having been scouted by the club. He went on to captain the club’s under-18 side and signed his first professional contract in 2008.
An Arsenal debut came in an FA Cup fourth round tie against Stoke City in 2010. Emmanuel-Thomas went on to make a total of five appearances for Arsenal with one outing in the Premier League and Champions League, but never scored for the first team.
Ex Arsenal and QPR striker is former League One winner
The forward was loaned to Blackpool, Doncaster Rovers and Cardiff City during his time at Arsenal before making the permanent switch to Ipswich Town in 2011. Time at Bristol City then followed, where the player scored 33 goals in 103 outings, winning League One in 2015.
Emmanuel-Thomas spent three years at QPR between 2015 and 2018, scoring five goals in 15 appearances. He was loaned to MK Dons and Gillingham while at Loftus Road - his most memorable contribution was a brace in the 4-3 Championship win over Bolton Wanderers in October 2015.
The striker last played for Greenock Morton in Scotland, where he arrived in July 2024 on a six-month contract. His deal was terminated in September when the player was charged with drug smuggling. A statement at the time from the club read: “The club is aware of an ongoing matter relating to one of our first team players which has been publicised by various media outlets. The club is currently awaiting further information from the relevant bodies and due to the nature of the situation, we will be unable to make any comment beyond this statement at this time.”
In other news, Unpopular ex QPR and Sunderland boss interviews for Championship return.
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